1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a lever switch device for operating a switch according to movement of a movable member based on a rotation operation of a lever.
2. Related Art
An example of conventional embodiments is shown in FIGS. 4 to 6. In FIG. 4, a lever 1 is supported by a turning bracket 2 rotatably around an axis 3 in the arrow A direction and the opposite arrow A direction as well as it is mounted between a case 4 and a cover 5 rotatably around an axis portion 2a of the bracket 2 in the direction orthogonal to the arrow A direction (front and rear side direction with respect to the paper surface). A piece accommodating portion 1b is formed at the base end portion 1a of the lever 1, elongating in the axial direction such that a moderation piece 6b forced outward in the axial direction by a spring 6a is inserted in the piece accommodating portion 1b slidably in the arrow B direction and the opposite arrow B direction, that is, in the axial direction. As shown in FIG. 6, operation projecting portions 1c, projecting sideways, are formed at both side portions of the base end portion 1a of the lever 1.
A moderating cam surface 7 is formed in the bracket 2 at a portion facing with the base end portion 1a of the lever 1 such that the tip of the moderation piece 6b is contacted with the cam surface 7 slidably. In the case 4, a contact holder 8 is provided in the upper part of FIG. 4 as a movable member. The contact holder 8 is provided slidably in the arrow C direction and the opposite arrow C direction, that is, in the substantially the same direction as the moving direction of the moderation piece 6b, and in the direction orthogonal thereto (front and rear side direction with respect to the paper surface).
As shown in FIG. 6, the contact holder 8 is provided with two arm portions 8a, with the base end portion 1a of the lever 1 interposed therebetween. Guiding portions 8b comprising inclined grooves are formed on the inner surface side of the arm portions 8a. The operation projecting portions 1c are inserted in the guiding portions 8b slidably. A movable contact point 9 is provided on the upper part of the contact holder 8 in FIG. 4. The case 4 is provided with an insulator 10 so as to cover the contact holder 8, with a fixed contact point 11 provided on the lower surface of the insulator 10. The movable contact point 9 and the fixed contact point 11 includes a switch 12.
In the above configuration, when the lever 1 at the solid line position of FIG. 4 is rotated in the arrow A direction, the tip of the moderation piece 6b slides the cam surface 7 upward and the moderation piece 6b moves in the arrow B direction as well as the operation projecting portions 1c rotate integrally with the lever 1. According to the rotation of the operation projecting portions 1c, the operation projecting portions 1c press the inclined surface of the guiding portions 8b so as to move the contact holder 8 in the arrow C direction (see the chain double-dashed line in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5). Accordingly, the device is switched to the state wherein the movable contact point 9 contacts with the passing fixed contact point 11 so that the passing switch 12 is turned on.
When the rotational force on the lever 1 in the arrow A direction is released in the state of FIG. 5, the tip of the moderation piece 6b slides on the cam surface 7 downward and the moderation piece 6b moves in the direction opposite to the arrow B direction as well as the lever 1 is rotated in the direction opposite to the arrow A direction. At the time, since the operation projecting portions 1c press the inclined surface of the guiding portions 8b according to the rotation of the operation projecting portions 1c, the contact holder 8 is moved in the direction opposite to the arrow C direction (see the solid line position of FIG. 4). Accordingly, the movable contact point 9 is moved away from the passing fixed contact point 11 so that the passing switch 12 is turned off.
In the conventional configuration, since the contact holder 8 is moved by the operation projecting portions 1c provided in the lever 1 via the guiding portions 8b, the moving stroke L1 of the contact holder 8 (see FIG. 4) is determined by the rotation angle of the lever 1, the position of the operation projecting portions 1c with respect to the lever 1, and the inclination angle of the guiding portions 8b. Therefore, in the case the rotation angle of the lever 1, the position of the operation projecting portions 1c, and the inclination angle of the guiding portions 8b are the same, the moving stroke L1 of the contact holder cannot be made larger.